Legal Affairs Minister Ian Douglas says the laws of the Commonwealth of Dominica do not make provisions for a one-party state.
He was speaking at a Dominica Labour Party meeting in support of Bentley Royer in Morne Rachette last night.
Douglas is refuting statements that today’s bi-election in two constituencies could pave the way for a one-party state.
“The constitution of Dominica is the highest law of the land and it makes provisions for the 21 constituencies in Dominica. It makes provisions that even if any one-party by chance votes 21 candidates the president can nominate four senators to sit in the Opposition, so when they tell you about one-party state and they are trying to frighten you, our laws don’t make provisions for one-party state,” he said.
Douglas said Dominica is a democracy, adding “if we did not believe in democracy we would not be here trying to convince you to vote for the DLP”.
@Chief:
Thanks for the discussion, we had a nice go at it. Look forward to the next issue maybe it’s the Bi-election results, or whatever. So many issues so little time… lol
Take care my fellow Dominican, say free!
@W: Excellent points.
You yourself mention the reason why there seems to be little change in Dominica: the lack of vigilance on the behalf of we the people of Dominica. We don’t put enough demands on our leaders. We simply take whatever they feed us. All the issues you posed; the visa issue, the apology from the PM; could have different result if we the people keep up a sustained demand for these matters to be result.
There were recent developments in Jamaica that illustrates this and which could have a profound impact on politics in that country. In a nutshell: some time aback the US requested the extradition of a certain person in that country on drugs and arm smuggling charges. Turned out that person was a staunch supporter of the ruling party (the Jamaica Labor Party JLP) and ruled over a JLP enclave as his private fiefdom. The PM went to parliament announcing his refusal to extradite this individual on the grounds that the evidence obtained by the US was illegally obtained and he was fighting for the rights of a Jamaica citizen. The case dragged on for months until it was revealed that a US law firm was hired to lobby the Obama administration on the matter. The PM again went to parliament and say he have no knowledge of such deal. As more evidence began appearing and the people began demanding more answers the PM admitted that he hired the US law firm, not as the Prime Minister of Jamaica but as the leader of the JLP. This cause more furor and all leading citizen organizations and other groups began asking the PM to come clean on the matter. Under heavy pressure the PM ordered the extradition bringing to close one of the most dramatic episodes of Jamaican politics.,
We need these kinds of things in Dominica. We are not making enough demands on our leaders. We simply follow like sheep because we are “workers” or “laborites.” Even if we have a good system of check and balances in place, it won’t make much difference unless we put our country first and get rid of the politics that are blinding us.
@Chief:
Insignificant, in my use of the term is that, my comments are simply what they are, I would hope it would have some influence on some people reading it but my hopes are not that high. The PM or anyone else won’t change his or her mind or ways of doing things because of my comments. I can’t even get you to change your thought process in regards to the realities we are faced with.
If we were a vigilant people we would not tolerate anyone taking advantage of any of our institutions to advance their personal agenda. I would also argue that there’s majority of Dominicans that have already been mesmerized by our PM so I don’t see your point. Do you understand that it is the stupidity and cupidity of millions of people that sustain corruption in every department of society?
Yes, there is corruption in DC as well, but I would guarantee you that the things that our political leaders get away with would not be tolerated in the U.S or any where else with a Democratic System that holds its leaders accountable. You have absolutely miss the boat on this one, if you think the only differences between our system and theirs is about, expensive suits, or high paid lawyers or being educated or not, my friend you’re selling yourself intellectually short and that’s a disservice.
1. Where’s the demand from the people for a follow up on the Visa Issue case with England?
2. Where’s the demand from the people demanding a apology from the PM for his statements?
3. where’s the demand from the people that, Minister of Health should resign for statements about all is good at the PMH?
4. Where’s the demand from the people that any foreign venture should have a percentage of locals partaking is said projects
5.where’s the demand from the people to have the PM put all these allegations made against him to rest once and for all? It can’t be good having our leader’s name involved in such matters… its in his best interest and ours as well to clear the air on this ASAP.
We need institutions with checks and balances, and your absolutely correct we need our people to become intellectually mature and vote with their heads and not with their emotions.
@W: I am going to use a name instead of Anonymous. Being uncreative as I am, I chose Chief. lol
First, there is nothing as “insignificant comment” It’s important that we voice our opinions because it is through diversity of opinion we can move our nation forward.
I agree with you that everything is not right in Dominica. There are fundamental weaknesses in the many institutions in Dominica and our leaders have exploited these weaknesses to their advantage since independence. Even our constitution have its weaknesses and I am a big proponent of constitutional reform.
I will argue again that we Dominicans will never allow a one party state to form in Dominica. That is why we need the UWP, a strong, vibrant UWP with vision for our country. There is no bigger threat to democracy that leaders that lack vision. Hitler mesmerized the German people because of his vision of world domination and a master German race. Even negative vision has its effects.
Concerning “moral discipline and lack of integrity’ I cannot say much unless I have concrete evidence to prove it. All I can say is that politics is a dirty game. The same dirty game that is played in Dominica is played in Washington DC, the only difference is that in DC it is played by highly educated politicians, lobbyist with expensive suits and highly paid lawyers with even more expensive suits.
Hence it boils down to we the people, the voting populace. We have the power to vote in and vote out leaders. We need to educate ourselves so that we can vote in leaders who have positive vision for our country and vote them out when they don’t meet our expectations. We need to get away from the political tribalism that have been a hallmark of our politics since independence. We need educated voters, not cultists.
My friend Chavez has been working hard for the past 10 yrs to form a one party state, oh how I love him….NOT.
@Anonymous:
From the first day I started posting my insignificant comments on DNO, I made it clear that this should not be about Political Parties or Petty Sensational Distractions but should be about Facts, the issues and foremost the betterment of Dominica and its people. So I really do try to look at thinks not base on party politics but as you said, objectively.
I would hope that you would join me and acknowledge that Things are not right in Dominica, and I will not accept the notion that the lack of integrity and moral discipline as a result of DEVELOPMENT, Not when we had countless of other nations who went through this very process showed us the pitfalls and steps to avoid from becoming a lawless, crime ridden nation.
I would then argue the fact that peoples attitude in the 80’s were of an absolutely higher standard where self-love, materialism,egotism was at the bottom of the spectrum, in today’s world, sacrifice of one’s personal agenda for the betterment of the whole is as scarce and as absent a characteristic of our leaders and people as a whole.
I take your point about the UWP’s poor performance and take it a bit further and say that our politicians from all parties are no where ready to handle the pressures that are placed on them by globalization and the integration of a one world government system. Our leaders are up against people who for all their lives have been taught in their schools about Power, Political Economy, the art of political negotiation or have run major cooperations. So I believe we are at an absolute disadvantage and deserve much better.
My last points I will make are these, I would much prefer you fight now to prevent our nation from becoming a one party state,than fight when it has already become one, much harder then to turn things around without the lost of lives; however I’m a bit pessimistic about the wisdom of our people, not trying bring anyone down, but would simply sate that Hitler had great support amongst the German people. Finally, If I take someone’s life, regardless of how the prosecutor labels that act committed the reality of matter is that someone lost their life, so my point my friend is this, a thing can be what it is, but because it is not defined or labeled so doesn’t make it different from what it really is, it is just a simple play of words.
@W: I think you are being unfair to say that the Armenian /Turkey ideology should be used as an example that Dominica is slowly moving into a ‘One Party State’!
In 1994 Keith Mitchel party won all 15 seats in Grenada, the Govonor appointed opposition senators and by 1999 the opposition parties had organized themselves and came to win 7 of the 15, living Mitchel with a minority government and by 2004 the opposition won a landslide 11-4.
Use that analogy to advise uwp to re-organize the party so by next General Election they can have a good showing!!!!
@Jean Coulibistrie: Morne Rachette is part of the CONSTITUENCY of Salisbury. Sakway sot.
But as far as I can recall, our dear Crime Minister has no regard for consititution!!!
@rose/diaspora: “He was speaking at a Dominica Labour Party meeting in support of Bentley Royer in Morne Rachette last night.” Since when is Morne Rachette part of the village of Salisbury?
SIng for your supper my Boy, Sing On.
@W: I see the point you are trying to illustrate but it is my view that the people of Dominica, in their wisdom, will never allow our political system to degenerate into the One Party status that some are crying about. I as a Dominican will not allow it and will vigorously fight it, if comes to pass.
Let us try to look at things objectively, not through blue or red lens as we normally do. The reason why the UWP did so badly at the polls is that they were so poorly prepared. The same thing happened to the to Dominica Labor Party (DLP) in 1980 when Mamo’s Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) swept the polls. The DLP was basically caught with its pants down, totally unprepared and they lost massively. History repeats itself. Dominica did not become a one party state in the 1980’s, when similar conditions as the one we have today existed, and it will not. I don’t think we Dominicans are going to allow that to happen.
As an independent voter during the last election, I listened for something from the UWP camp in which I could sink my teeth in and ponder. I got little. It was as if the UWP was caught by surprise and they did not know where to turn. I got a huge dose of corruption in the DLP government but little else. Now although corruption is a valid point for discourse, you simply cannot win an election on that alone.
If we had a strong UWP, bursting with ideas and suggestions for moving our nation forward, the DLP would never have won such by a huge margin during the last election and we would never be in the political situation that we are in now.
Concerning the Armenian/Turkey situation, I am not very familiar with it, although I have heard some news report about it on BBC. So may you can use a different analogy.
why is it that all of a sudden the village of Salisbury have become so important to the PM and the DLP party that they are spending so much time trying to condem Mr. Hector John and his party is it because they cannot bring in folks from the Diaspora to vote for them ? but what I would like to know why wasnt this Village taken care of long before now why does it have to take situations like these for the PM and his party to jump up and say they care about the people of Salisdbury that nonsense have to stop people are ask to vote for the DLP and we will do something in return for you what happen since December 2009 to when the by-elaction was call by the PM how come nothing was done for them people of Salisbury dont allow yourselves to be had by those two tongue ppls go out tomorrow and vote for your rights under the CONSTITUTION of DOMINICA, because the next thing that is going to take place in DOMINICA is the PM and the DLP changing it for their put benifit.
@Anonymous:
You seem to be a very educated person, but what I can’t understand is why you would not allow yourself to see that the political System in Dominica could change with a mere introduction of legislation and a majority vote making Dominica fit your official Definition of a One Party State.
“Why can’t we understand a simple definition” I would call to your attention the case with Turkey and The Armenians where you had a Systematic and Deliberate killing of a people and because Turkey for a number of years held the view point that it was not an act of Genocide should the rest of the world ignore the telltale signs and evidence and not call it so or recognize it as being a genocide because Turkey holds that view, this is the question I put to you.
One last thing, with our current situation we have already fulfilled or meet half of the criteria for a one Party State “one Political Party forms the Government… So we’re OFFICIAL ALMOST THERE.
Which Mr.Douglas in legal affairs ? Ian’s uncle,the magistrate’s uncle the Priminister’s uncle?I know this is a mix up business but the public need to know why Eddie lambert, the wife, the Esienhower
Mike’s wife came to the defence of Skerrit and Ian when Ian said Skerrit does mal parle people.
She said ian and Skeerrt we the brightest young men in DA lol! then no wonder Da is what it is or has become wht it has become. if they are the brightest these guys cannot speak let alone be bright!
Why did the douglas family not support washway oinstead of skerrit I guess blood is thicker than water but there come a time when the blood id the same and interest is what matters right?
Mr Douglas in legal affairs. Your football anology was not the best but i hope my satement is deciferable.One who knows the gerontology.
Mr Douglas Dominica has a lot of work you all need to do.Employment for the youth,a lowering in the cost of living,a serious approach in tackling drugs and money laundering,a serious approach in tackling the education system especially Universal Secondary etc,so stop the nonsense.You all will never be able to buy the people of Marigot and Salisbury.They are smarter than you all think.
Here is the definition of a one party state: “A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are PERMITTED to run candidates for election.” (Capitalization: mine)
The operative word here is ‘permitted’ which I deliberately capitalized.
As far as I know other parties are free to run candidates for election in Dominica. There are up coming bi-elections.
Hence in a case like that, how can Dominica ever be a one party state?
Why can’t we understand simple definitions?
OF COURSE MR DOUGLAS . . . THE PRESIDENT WOULD NOMINATE 4 OPPOSITION SENATORS AFTER “CONSULTATION WITH” AND “ON THE ADVICE OF” THE PRIME MINISTER. . .
WHERE LIVERPOOL THERE SINGING FOR HIS SUPPER AND HOPING TO KEEP HIS JOB THAT ALIX WANTS SO BADLY IAN GIVE ME A BREAK . . . . . .
Here we go again with the deceptions. If that’s not really the DLP’s positions why partake in the bi-elections in the first place?. Sit it out and have genuine members of the opposition parties and any citizen willing to make the sacrifice to contest the elections.
The truth of the matter is, the Dominica Labor Parity, doesn’t need two more sits to do the things necessary to make sure that every person, every town gets a fair share of the attention needed from the government.
Think about the argument being made by Mr. Douglas, and lets use a football analogy because of world cup fever and think about Spain practicing for the final game, Spain( DLP) One Team, but the coach (The President) splits the team members up to play against each other for training purposes does that mean now with the appearance of an opposition team that all of a sudden they are no longer members of the official Spanish Team? free to hurt each other and do as they please?
Not because you say someone is in the opposition makes it so, their actions, their ideology, their policy agenda should be slightly different from yours.
Mr. Douglas, Minister of Legal Affairs.
well said. bravo
Time will tell…